Imam Ibn Kathir on the Virtue of Surah Al-Kahf and Reading it Every Friday

Imam Ahmad recorded that Al-Bara’ said: A man recited Al-Kahf and there was an animal in the house which began acting in a nervous manner. He looked, and saw a fog or cloud overhead. He mentioned this to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, and he said:

Continue reciting so-and-so. Verily, that was tranquility which came down for the recitation of the Quran. [Sahih Muslim, Book 4, Number 1739]

This was also recorded in the Two Sahihs, Al-Bukhari and Muslim. The man who recited it was Usayd bin Al-Hudayr, as we have previously mentioned in our Tafsir of Surah Al-Baqarah. Imam Ahmad recorded from Abu Ad-Darda that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said:

Whoever recites Surah Al-Kahf on the day of Friday will have a light for him between this Friday and the next. [Al-Bayhaqi, Sunan Al-Kubra, Number 5856, Sahih]

Then he said, “This saying has an authentic chain of narration, but Al-Bukhari and Muslim did not record it.” Al-Hafiz Abu Bakr Al-Bayhaqi also recorded it in his Sunan from Al-Hakim, then he narrated with his own chain that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: